HSC 2019 Retro Series Rnd 5 - STR 08/06/2019

[stoo23]

There was NO Racing !!



VERY, VERY Sad !!

[stoo23]

I guess, with the Long Weekend, cold weather and too many Other Events / Activities Retro simply Wasn't on Anyone's 'To-Do' list.

Once again, my apologies to Darryl,.. but Hope your 'Testing' went well

[dtslot]

Hi Stoo, no worries,,,,I finished the slotworx cars,,,,and with nothing else to do,,,,,started sorting out the bugs as such,,,,,,,,,,,,salvaged something out of what was a pretty crappy Saturday,weather wise as such. ,,,,hopefully see you all at the next race
Darryl

[neiljb]

Very sad Daryl and Stoo.
Personally with moving house and family commitments out of the way, I should be a starter next time.
The attendances have been poor for the YTD - whats the answer? Not rule changes, simple, strong and fast for the last 10 years. There must be heaps of cars in the bottom of pit boxes all over the country. What to do to get them to the track?
Neil

[dtslot]

Hi Neil,,,,yep,,the numbers are a problem,,,but life outside of slots is always going to impact,,,,,Mark and I will be away in September,,,,,for holidays,,,,,but seeing as there is really only a handful of us die hards left,,,,I sure wish we could at least just race on the small track as that is our,,the racers,,,, preference. The racers that did not like the small track and preferred the big track have vanished ,,,not racing at any retro events ,,,,,so us few are still driving on a less than desirable track. why ????? I love retro,,,but it is not as good as it could or should be in my opinion. So I have had my whinge,,,,sorry about that,,,,,,but as I'm getting older,,,,I find it harder to justify putting up with annoying situations,,,,for no understandable reason
Darryl

[Greg Erskine]

I think you may find that with you guys going on and on about the small track preference for Retro, it has driven a few racers off Retro. I know it wasn't deliberate but it may be interpreted as a back hander to those who prefer the large track.

[dtslot]

Hi Greg,,,,,,,,thanks for your thoughts,,,,and yes I am sorry for rehashing my thoughts once again. ,,you may be right about loosing a few retro drivers because of the comments and opinions of myself and others,,,,only two names that I am aware of that come to mind,,,but if so,,,why would they not at least show up for the big track races to at least show their support for such. On the other side , It is a fact,,,and not a maybe,,,that at least a dozen retro drivers have stated that they do not like racing retro on the big track and many have stopped in fact because of it.. It is hard to ignore the voices of those I have listened to and lost as fellow racers. maybe every one had planned to stop racing regardless of the ,track choices ,,I don't know,,,, I do know that my say isn't worth anything and I accept that,,,,,,I do know that I have opinions ,,,can;t help that,,,,so I will try to say no more about this,,as it is what it is!! and for the last time I AM SORRY , for my opinions surfacing again
Darryl

[stoo23]

Hmmm Gee,..

Firstly,.. PLEASE Darryl,.. Do NOT Keep your comments and thoughts to Yourself,.. In MY Opinion AND as far as This Forum (Especially regarding Retro Racing) is concerned, you ARE Allowed to Both Have an Opinion AND to Express it !!!!

That IS what this Forum is for !!

I am personally Unaware of (the Collective US), going On and On about Our Dislike of the Big Track,..
Other than it being a Very Dull Track almost for ANY class of racing !!,.. I have ALWAYS suggested so
Racing WING cars on it is and has always been pretty damn dull as well and always was !!
I have always referred to the Big track as a Couple of Drag Strips with a Crash Zone at one end !!!,.. LOL

But Seriously and with the greatest of Respect Greg,.. I Honestly don't think OUR or Any comments regarding the Big Track have caused Anyone to stop racing Retro,.. Heck WE are the ones who keep turning up to race on it anyway.
There was More of an 'issue' with people getting 'Good' JK Retro motors (as compared to the Very Even and reliable performance of the Plafit motors).

As Darryl correctly points out, those that Were keen to race on the Big Track (Exclusively), have Vanished.

Who knows Why ?? James only had 1 x Person turn up on this past Friday for the usually quite popular 4.5 Inch JK NASCAR's and I think Generally Club Racing numbers are also down a bit ??

Strange why the SRC has remained relatively well represented ?? Especially as in that format at HSC, Retros are raced on the small track ONLY.

There Were people this last weekend Genuinely Doing Other things they were 'committed' to.
The Weather, the Long Weekend, Family Matters or Racing Meccano cars Interstate !!,.. occasionally SH*T happens,.. I guess, but Where were All the Other people and infrequent racers ?? and WHAT The F**K happened at the Geoghegan !!!! ???? (Perhaps if it had been held on the Big Track We would have ONLY had James as a Marshall, as then Joe Would have been More keen to Race !!,.. LOL).

[SlotBaker]

Where were All the Other people and infrequent racers ??

Good question Stoo.

I'm one of those, and seeing as you asked....

My intention late last year was to run as much Retro as I could this year.

My slot car hobby focus has shifted sideways a bit, in that I want to keep scratch building chassis, but not for competition racing. I have a stack of hard body kits and other bodies on a specific theme, and I want to build those into slot cars as my main building hobby. Too many things to do, and too many birthdays have gone by so I needed to make a decision.

I love Aussie Retro, and want to keep racing, so I have decided to assemble a few new cars by buying ready made/painted bodies and chassies. I've spent quite a few $s to do this, so I have a lot to lose financially if I don't make use of it.

The obstacle I face, is that my wife's parents are elderly (Ron 95 & Shirley 91) with Ron being hospitalised April 2018, and has been on death's door ever since. Shirley is still fairly active, but can't cope with all of the daily struggles, so my wife (Sue) is spending quite a bit of time helping mum and dad, which is taking a toll on her. Its a very stressfull situation for them.
So, seeing that family come first in my life, I work all of my activities around our circumstances.
It's not all bad for me, as I do get to get out with mates occasionally on Sunday car club runs, so please don't feel sorry for me.

As far as the HSC big track/small track thing goes, I'm not a fan of the big track and prefer the small track.
But I regard all slot car racing as good racing, and was intending to race all rounds of Retro on both HSC and SSME tracks when possible. Priorities for me on Sundays would be family, and/or car club outings, so slot cars lose priority.

I probably wouldn't participate in the GT1 class of the SRC, as I don't like the technology progress with the chassis, and don't want to throw my money in that direction.

Darryl, my good mate, you have nothing to be sorry about!!!
You are one of the most dedicated guys I know. When you say you're going to do something, you bloody well do it.
As Stoo says, you are entitled voice your thoughts and opinions. You are equal to being the most active, competitive, builder, and racer in the group, so certainly more than qualified to speak up.

I hope things pick for James, as he certainly deserves support after all of the hard work he puts in given his difficult circumstances.

[neiljb]

Hi gang

We all have commitments ……… Grandkids, (my issue on the long weekend) ageing parents, kids, wives and holidays
We all have lives outside of slot cars and a hobby is low on the priority list no matter what the hobby is.
Not just the Geoghegan and last weekend, attendances have been very poor across the board. I race in other classes and attendances have been falling everywhere.
So its not track preference (although my issue is with the motor used on the big track not the actual track) with 3 at the Geoghegan and only 1 at the club series held on the small track held recently, it is difficult to mount an argument with James to make the change to all small track racing for the Retro class. At the end of the day its James' centre and he decides.
I don't get that people having opinions about track preference affects attendances, when nobody is turning up at either.
If we had 12 - 14 racers consistently and a couple of people can't make it, we still have a fun race. Like I said before there are lots of cars about the place.
What can we do to get them on the track?
What is stopping people from coming out?
Neil

[stoo23]

Please understand I am NOT being critical of Anyone.
I am merely disappointed by the Low numbers as I am also Sure James Must be as well.

Slotting has always had it's Ups and Downs, but it Does seem odd that it has seemingly suddenly Dropped Off So Much this year and Not Just in Retro.
I guess we are part of a declining Breed of Individuals that came from an Era when this was an accessible, relatively popular and affordable Hobby.

Perhaps Too Many 'Options' these days for the younger generation, although the Kids that turn up for many of James's Parties Certainly Seem to enjoy themselves.

For myself, I really Don't 'Have a Life',.. so have almost Zero conflicting commitments other than Work occasionally and would definitely race More if I was more financially affluent

I Would have liked to have attended far more SRC rounds over the years, but as has So often been the case I have had to Work on the Tuesdays that it has been held on over the years

Is difficult to know just Who of the Many 'Guests' that view the forum are and what their thoughts are, as it really Is only Us Old 'Hardliners' that regularly 'Post' anything,..

[Kenny]

" There was More of an 'issue' with people getting 'Good' JK Retro motors (as compared to the Very Even and reliable performance of the Plafit motors). "

Aint this the truth Stoo !!! I have had Hawk 7's ranging from a paltry 52,000 R.P.M. all the way up to 64,000 R.P.M. Sadly buying a Hawk 7 is akin to buying a lottery ticket .

[Kenny]

" I guess we are part of a declining Breed of Individuals that came from an Era when this was an accessible, relatively popular and affordable Hobby."

You can say it Stoo , we are sad old farts .

" Perhaps Too Many 'Options' these days for the younger generation, "

Don't even start me on this subject , slot cars require work , dediction and time and subsequently are of no interest to increasingly dumbed down instant gratification generations .

" although the Kids that turn up for many of James's Parties Certainly Seem to enjoy themselves. "

I agree at 10 to 13 years of age but once they hit mid to late teens all interest wains when they realise it requires actual thought , time , practice and work .

" For myself, I really Don't 'Have a Life',.. so have almost Zero conflicting commitments other than Work occasionally and would definitely race More if I was more financially affluent "

You are NOT alone Stoo , believe you me .